Container



Oct. 21,1941. A. A. OLSON CONTAINER Filed Aug. 16, 1939 ATTO R N EYS Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 16, 1939, Serial No. 290,477

1 Claim.

This invention relates to containers, and its general object is to provide a container in-the form of an open work transparent lined basket for holding and displaying fruit, berries and the like, as distinguished from the closed sheet wood, so-called berry box now in general use, it being obvious that only the upper layer of the contents of the latter box can be seen, while substantially the entire contents of my basket can be readily observed, without disturbing the same, as in general practice a customer, when desiring to purchase berries or the like in the old style box above referred to will require the clerk, much to his dissatisfaction, to dump the contents, in order to ascertain the condition thereof, and such frequently results in bruising or otherwise damaging the contents, is unsanitary, as well as requires rearrangement of the contents, if not purchased,'but all of those disadvantageous features have been eliminated by the use of my basket due to the fact that it displays its contents from all sides, top and bottom,

A further object is to provide a container which I term a full view berry basket, that includes a body capable of withstanding rough usage without permanent damage thereto, in that it is made from stiff wire mesh material and the entire body is lined with suitable transparent heavy sheet material, such as Cellophane or the like,so that the contents is not only advantageously displayed, but the lining prevents the same from contacting the wire.

Another object is to provide a container of the character set forth, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efficient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container which forms the subject matter of the present invention. 1

Figure 2 is a similar view of the lining assembled and secured in container formation.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the lining is formed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approxi- Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating a portion of the body and the reinforcing frame therefor, at its upper end.

Referring to the drawing in detail,-it willbe noted as shown in Figure 1 that the body of my container is made from wire mesh material and in the form illustrated, the interstices are relatively large and of hexagon shape, but they can be of any suitable size and shape, as willbe apparent. In any event, the wire is stiff and is of sufiicient resiliency to spring back into shape when pressure is applied to the body. It will be further noted that the strands of wire are bent and twisted about each other to provide the interstices and that the body which is broadly indicated by the reference numeral I, is illustrated as being substantially square to provide four upright side walls of equal dimensions, as well as a square bottom wall, with the side walls rising from the bottom wall at a slight outward inclination so that the body is of greater diameter at its top than at the bottom, but it will be understood that the body can be made in other shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The body may be made from a single piece of sheet wire mesh material, and the strands at the upper ends of the upper interstices are looped as at 2 about a square cornered wire frame 3, with the looped ends soldered or otherwise fixed to the frame. The frame is of course continuous and acts to reinforce the body, as well as to provide an even top edge therefor.

The lining is preferably made from a single blank of any suitable transparent sheet material, such as Cellophane or the like and in the form illustrated is shown as being substantially square, with its corners cut away to provide wall portions 4 and corner tongues 5 of less length than the wall portions. The blank is provided with centrally arranged fold lines 6 disposed in square formation, fold lines I dividing the wall portions 4 from the corner tongues 5, and fold lines 8 extending from the outer to the inner corners of the tongues. It will be obvious from Figures 2 and 3 that the blank is folded on the lines 6 and I to provide the bottom wall 9 for the lining and for disposing the wall portions t in an upright position and at substantially right angles with respect to each other, with the corner tongues extending inwardly of the wall portions, the tongues being folded along the lines 8 and when so disposed the tongues are of substantially triangular formation, and of a double thickness, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

In order tohold the blank in folded lining formation, the corner'tongues 5 are adhesively secured to the upright wall portions and they likewise may be stitched as at Hi to the wall portions, the stitching extending throughout the length of the tongues only, so that the outer edge portions of the upright wall portions 4 are free, to provide flaps II, which when the lining is inserted within :the body, are folded along the lines I2" about the frame 3 for disposal exteriorly of the body and thence are adhesively secured to the outer faces of the wall portions, as clearly-- shown in Figure 4. I

The bottom wall 9 is preferably provided with drain openings l3 disposed adjacent to the corners thereof as clearly shown in Figure 3, to allow for the passage of water produced by excess moisture that may accumulate on the content of the container. V

From the above description and disclosure in the drawing, it will be obvious that I have pro- .VIided a container for fruit, berries and the like, that is not only strong and sturdy, but allows for read-y inspection of its contents without disturb- .ing the same, due to the fact that the contents can be readily viewed from all sides, bottom and top..

A containerfor holding and displaying fruit,

berries and the like, comprising a body formed from wire mesh material to provide bottom and upright walls and an open top, a continuous wire 1 frame about the open top and having the strands v;of the interstices of the body fixed thereto, a lining formed from a single blank of transparent sheet material folded to provide a bottom wall,

upright wall portions and corner tongues, said tongues being secured to the inner faces of the upright wall portions for holding the lining in folded position, said lining being shaped to fit and disposed .within said body, flaps formedon theupp erfends of the upright Wall portions and disposed about the frame, said flaps being secured to the outer faces of the upright wall portions forsecuring the lining to the body, and said'lining having drain openings therein.

ADRIAN A; OLSON. 

